In today's environment, promotion systems often include point of service or sale devices and portable devices. Such systems generally utilize a set of rules to manage and process transactions. Typically, these rules are centrally managed and elements of the rules or the data used in their application are distributed from a central location, such as a server, to the points of service as needed from time to time on a transaction-by-transaction basis. As a result, the bulk of the programming administration is performed at the central location. Conversely, limited transaction processing is performed on the part of the portable devices and/or the point of service devices.
A number of situations often lead to sub-optimal use of such systems, thereby resulting in service delivery that does not meet the performance expectation of the service provider or user. Examples of such situations would include cases where data would be missing or corrupted at the point of service, where the central system would fail to update the rules and data used by the point of service device in a timely fashion, and where centrally defined rules cannot accommodate the variety of situations at the point and time of service, etc.
Sub-optimal use includes, for example, a promotion system where the promotional messages used in the portable devices are out of date; a rewards system where the incentive programs in the system are not delivering consumer appeal; and a price definition system where the dynamic shifts of demand and offer at a particular outlet are not properly integrated in a timely manner.
In addition, conventional systems also limit interactions between service providers that would allow them to jointly optimize the delivery of their services, for instance, where the use of certain forms of payment and promotion for certain products and services are tied together.
Hence, it would be desirable to provide a system that is capable of handling and processing transactions more efficiently in a distributed manner.